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October 19, 2008 5:30 PM

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Great Article.... Dont know if this is related but has anyone ever been scammed by those people who call from prison and tell you that someone you know has been hurt in an accident? They then tell you to call back using a *7## number. I didn't fall all the way for it but I was super freaked out that someone I knew was hurt. I realized it was fake when the guy said *7...

anyways, this story reminded me of the terrible feeling that I'm sure Laurie felt.

3 replies

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October 19, 2008 7:27 PM

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@Chongo: My wife got a call like that. Fortunately, she called the local police who told her that bad news like a car accident is never divulged by phone. The authorities always send a police officer over in person.

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October 19, 2008 9:14 PM

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@LogicalOne: yeah I figured that but the initial \"A female you know has been seriously hurt in a car accident\" really sent me off. My heart was beating so fast and I was so freaked out that I was a hair's width away from calling it back. I dont consider myself a 100% awesome \"consumer\" but after reading this site for a couple years, I can say that if I was almost fooled, alot of other would be.

as a little extra background... the phone call starts with a \"Do you accept a collect call from XYZ prison\". In my case it was all in spanish but I could make a few things out. I assumed one of my dumb ass friends got him/herself locked up and wanted me to bail them out... thats why I accepted the charges.

The first thing I did though was type the phone number into google and the first result was a \"SCAM ALERT for Illinois\" from the county sheriff.

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October 20, 2008 2:29 PM

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When a close relative of mine was in prison I would get calls from him that were collect. But see, I KNEW he was in there. If anyone tried to pull that now, I'd be like, \"No one I know is in there. Bye.\" *CLICK*

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SavitashriHeretic

October 20, 2008 1:15 PM

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@Chongo:@Chongo: My dad got that exact call a couple weeks ago, and you're right; it's pretty scary. He was almost positive it was a scam right away (former cop so he knows that's not how they handle those situations), but with my little sister going away to college it freaked him out quite a bit. Fortunately he got ahold of my sister which calmed him down enough to check things out. I have a couple friends who work the fraud department for a major phone provider and prison-related calls, especially these, are a large part of their workload.

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October 19, 2008 6:19 PM

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I've heard about that scam before. It has something to do with call forwarding. They convince you to unwittingly activate call forwarding in some way so that they can make long-distance phone calls and you get charged for it instead of them. I remember hearing sometime back that prison inmates were doing that one a lot.

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KhaiJB

October 19, 2008 5:38 PM

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nice little trick there with the numbers. they read them to you scrambled (or what they think are your nhumbers) and you tend to want to go 'no, it's *****'.... glad she did'nt fall for that...

3 replies

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Brontide

October 20, 2008 12:37 AM

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@KhaiJB: Given the way SSN's were ( are? ) handed out all you need is the DOB + hospital and you can approximate the SSN based on a database of numbers.

They had DOB, so it's possible they are approximating using this method.

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Jevia

October 20, 2008 2:06 PM

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@snowmoon: For those born many years ago who didn't have to get SS# until they got a job in their teens, or thereabouts, it can be difficult to even approximate the number, since people move.

But I wonder how much easier the government made it for scam artists of the future since now SS# are handed out shortly after the baby is born. So now, all a scam artist needs in dob and city of birth to get the first 3 numbers, and as stated above, can get a pretty good approximation of the rest.

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October 19, 2008 7:14 PM

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@KhaiJB: I found it interesting to hear that they had her SS# \"scrambled.\" Considering for most people, it wouldn't be a difficult task to make a reasonable guess at their first 5 digits. The first 3 are based on the office that issued the number or the mailing address of the applicant (depending on whether it was issued before or after 1973) and generally correspond to the individual's residence at that time. The middle 2 numbers are \"group numbers\" issued in a non-consecutive (yet consistent and published) sequence, and may not be difficult to guess if the scammer had other SS#s from the same date, area, siblings, etc. That only leaves the last four, and considering just dumb luck, there's an awful good chance one or two guessed numbers will match actual numbers, if order is disregarded.

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mythago

October 19, 2008 5:42 PM

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Great article and well done, Ms. Lucas.

On attorneys - be aware that a lot of bar associations, including California's, have a public database of attorneys. Anyone can look up the name, bar number, business address and telephone of an attorney and give you that information if you ask who the attorney is. If anybody claims they are calling on behalf of an attorney - ANY attorney - check them out. Legitimate law offices have absolutely no problem with you doing this.

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October 19, 2008 6:00 PM

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I wonder if this is the sort of call I'm not answering when I ignore calls from unexpected, unrecognized inbound numbers?

6 replies

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October 19, 2008 8:11 PM

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@GearheadGeek: If they want to talk to you that badly, they can leave a message or send a (certified) letter. Law enforcement will generally do a \"tack and mail\" in an attempt to reach you, too.

I don't answer calls that lack caller ID data or have a number I don't recognize. If they want to talk to me that badly, they'll have to work a little harder to prove they're someone I want to speak with.

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October 19, 2008 6:18 PM

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@GearheadGeek: I don't know about the US, but most UK doctors and hospitals withold their number on outgoing calls - as do the police IIRC. Ignoring calls from unrecognised or witheld numbers can be a two-edged sword.

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GirlCat

October 20, 2008 4:32 PM

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@Skipweasel: True, but I haven't answered a call from a number I didn't recognize in almost 20 years and nothing bad has ever happened. If it's that important, people always leave a message. Also, in my experience, U.S. doctors/hospitals don't block their numbers--there isn't really any reason to. At most, the number that shows is their main switchboard.

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arl84

October 21, 2008 2:54 AM

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@GirlCat: you've had caller ID for 20 years? I didn't know it was out that long.

lol j/k, but I don't answer numbers I don't recognize either and I always wonder if it's scam artists.

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Parting

October 20, 2008 4:28 AM

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@Skipweasel: Then doctor's secretary will leave a message : ''Please call back''.

I've got one like that. Once you call back, then they give you details about what's going on.

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October 20, 2008 2:49 PM

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That's fine as long as they identify themselves. If I know who it is, I'm much more likely to return their call.

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October 19, 2008 6:45 PM

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@Skipweasel: Yes, but anyone legitimate will leave a message.

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October 19, 2008 6:37 PM

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@Skipweasel: If it's important enough they will find a way to get the information to you. The cops can send an officer to your door, a doctors office can send you a postcard.

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tedyc03

October 19, 2008 6:13 PM

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It's scary to think that these types of scammers play on our worst fears. We don't have debtor's prison in America, and a company can't press charges - only the District Attorney. So sad.

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October 19, 2008 6:19 PM

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I'd have a hard time not reading them the riot act and calling BS on their bluff.

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Jetgirly

October 19, 2008 6:32 PM

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I love that her daughter who is away at college phoned home RIGHT AWAY when she got an email from a Nigerian prince!

1 replies

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Parting

October 20, 2008 4:29 AM

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@Jetgirly: Well, she was smart enough to do that. Often, starting college, students are not aware of all scams going around. So at least, she had sound judgment to ask.

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October 19, 2008 6:39 PM

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I would also like to add a very important piece of advice. You might wonder how scammers and fraudsters are so easily able to get your personal information. Purchasing hacked/stolen info is one way.

But here's the advice:

Be VERY CAREFUL what you post on myspace or facebook!

A lot of people keep pages on there that could lead a complete stranger right to them with little difficulty.

3 replies

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Parting

October 20, 2008 4:30 AM

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@dragonfire81: That's one of things that keeps me away from those sites. They have way too much information on their hands, with little security.

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mike

October 20, 2008 3:58 PM

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@Victo: But *YOU* provide that information. If you don't want to be searched, don't put the info out there.

You should always assume that if you put it on the internet, expect it to be found.

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ARP

October 20, 2008 3:25 AM

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@dragonfire81: 2nd. MySpace has the answers to many security questions and lots of personal information. Think about it:

Hero, favorite song, movie, etc., DOB, relative names, address, High School attended, pets, etc.

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humphrmi

October 19, 2008 6:41 PM

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I once started getting calls from a company called \"OSI Recovery\" threatening basically the same thing, although they claimed the debt was with Checkfree, not a pay day loan company. I wonder how many permutations of this scam are going around?

3 replies

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Rectilinear Propagation

October 20, 2008 5:34 PM

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I once started getting calls from a company called \"OSI Recovery\"...
@humphrmi: You got phone calls from the The Office of Secret Intelligence?

Shorter YouTube version:

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jdhuck

October 20, 2008 4:44 PM

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@humphrmi: I think checkfree does make payday loans in some areas.

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October 20, 2008 3:29 PM

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@humphrmi: Ohh I've gotten a call from OSI as well. Way back in the day. They'd call me at work, even, claiming I owed them money for loans, and the first time they scared me and I was like \"Uh let me get back to you.\" But then I realized they were full of horse poo, but they kept calling, and I got other people calling as well, and still not sure how much was related to my mom's filing for bankruptcy and how much was just random scamming. One of many reasons I cut off my landline a few months ago.

Most recently, I kept getting calls on my cell asking for Ashley. Wrong number, I said. Finally, it happened again while I was at work and I was frustrated and said, \"Look I've gotten calls like this before and I've said there's no Ashley here so please stop calling this number, take me off your list or whatever. I don't mean to be rude but stop calling.\" So far, it's worked.

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October 19, 2008 6:58 PM

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Wow...I can see how people would fall for that quite easily.

But please, Ben -- paragraphs next time.

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October 19, 2008 7:35 PM

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Man that's some creepy stuff. That woman was really smart though to keep a cool head and look at the situation rationally.

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October 19, 2008 8:36 PM

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Another warning - these debt collectors troll. My answering machine was contacted by one repeatedly a few years ago. They called over and over, asking for a name so slurred (either computer-read or human-read) it could not be understood. Apparently they were calling any and everyone in the phone book with a name similar to mine, hoping to scare someone into confessing a debt. (I have never had an outstanding unpaid debt, late or otherwise, so they weren't coming for me.)

Do not talk to them or let them know you are alive unless they have something in writing they've given to you.

After months of calling over and over and over and over and over they moved on.

2 replies

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LatherRinseRepeat

October 20, 2008 2:34 PM

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Haha. I've gotten those calls too. But on my cell phone. It's always a pre-recorded message, something like..

\"We're looking for _gibberish noise_. We need to speak with you regarding an urgent mattter.\"

A few times they use names that are pretty generic. But most of the time, it was just a slurred, high speed sound.

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tamoko

October 20, 2008 9:54 PM

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@LatherRinseRepeat: I've gotten the same type of calls once or twice. It smelled like BS the second I heard the slurred out name.

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TrevorYYC

October 19, 2008 9:23 PM

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I get calls like this periodically thanks to a horrible old receptionist who would give employee personal information to anybody who called and asked for it, no social engineering required.

The latest scam is some assholes trying to collect on non-existant $400 domain registrations and the worlds most expensive web hosting.

They threaten to to take down your website, put up a notice that you have gone out of business and all sorts of other threats.

The threat lacks much punch with me since I can see the webserver from my desk, but I bet they snag quite a few people in accounts payable who don't have a clue how much those services actually cost who are threatened with being responsible for having their employers website taken down.

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ideagirl

October 19, 2008 9:26 PM

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Whenever I buy something at Target, they want to scan my driver's license. I alway show it to them, but say please don't scan it, so they manually enter the birth date and we move on. It's no big deal. Yesterday, the cashier actually lied to me and said my number was going into the system whether it was scanned or not. She was miffed, and obviously thought I was some paranoid conspiracy freak, but I politely said no, please do not scan it.

This type of scam is exactly what I am concerned about. Who knows who might get their hands on a corporation's database of my personal, identifying info, including driver's license? And since I'm paying with my debit card, the two (I am sure) are now tied together in their system. That is just trouble waiting to happen. As we've seen here on Consumerist, it only takes one person to get their hands on that data for all hell to break loose.

5 replies

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October 20, 2008 6:48 AM

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Theres this stupid thing in my city called \"barlink\", and what it does is it scans your id card and puts you into a system. These are placed in the bigger bars and such, and so if you ever kicked out, they can put it in the system and warn the other places that have it. What's (extra) dumb is that you can't say no to it (not allowed in) but if you \"forgot\" your id, you can pay to get in.

Fortunately, I don't go to any of those bars that have it.

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tamoko

October 20, 2008 9:58 PM

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@venomroses: Barlink?...seriously? Big Brother is watching my girlfriend and I eat wings and drink beer? What city are you in? (And no, this is not a phishing question. LOL!)

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Parting

October 20, 2008 4:33 AM

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@ideagirl: Why do they ask for your license? Are you buying liquor, or something that need to be legally adult?

I would freak if I was asked for my birth day, while shopping (enough to commit identity fraud).

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October 21, 2008 9:29 PM

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@Victo: Last I checked, Target doesn't sell booze or porn, so it's a mystery.

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October 20, 2008 4:32 AM

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@ideagirl: That's weird. What are you buying that requires this? I've paid with my debit card before at Target and never been asked for ID and definitely not to have it scanned.

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johnnya2

October 19, 2008 9:27 PM

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Everybody needs to know even if the debt was a real debt what they said was illegal, and NOBODY can go to jail or be arrested for a debt (the IRS being an exception). I wish these assholes would call me sometime.

1 replies

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October 20, 2008 8:10 PM

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@johnnya2: Child support is another exception - technically it is a contempt of court charge if you don't pay it and you can go to jail over it. Other than those, though, no honestly incurred debt will result in imprisonment.

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GothamGal

October 19, 2008 9:53 PM

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Great story. It is scary that they can know so much about you. I admire her patience (must be the military experience). I would have freaked out on that idiot.

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quail

October 19, 2008 10:38 PM

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Always push them for details and contact information. A legit company will give it. These scammers as you saw won't and will hang up.

When talking to them, even the legit companies, don't give them anything they don't already have. Don't volunteer information.

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October 19, 2008 11:10 PM

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Kudos to Laurie for thinking on her feet with these jerks. It's scary to think of what kind of info is floating around out there and who might be calling you next. Spam e-mail is one thing (The Nigerian Prince? Please! Trash bin!), but when someone is constantly calling you at home trying to scam you out of your hard earned money, it's just ridiculous.

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October 20, 2008 12:25 AM

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Get one of those air horns that annoying people bring to sporting events, get some earplugs for yourself and the next time that guy with a foreign sounding accent calls, just put it right up to the phone's microphone.

3 replies

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Phydeaux

October 20, 2008 4:18 PM

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@Jesse in Japan

One problem with that; if it feedback loops you might damage your own phone earpiece.

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nursetim

October 20, 2008 3:53 AM

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@Jesse in Japan:
I have a Fox 40 whistle I use when I ref soccer, and it has a very piercing tone. I would love to try that some time to see if I can blow out an eardrum.

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timmus

October 20, 2008 1:59 AM

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@Jesse in Japan: Doubtful that works well... unlike in the analog days, most telephone signals are carried digitally and the volume won't max out at that high of a volume.

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TPK

October 20, 2008 12:36 AM

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\"They're coming to arrest you tomorrow at 11AM\"

\"OK, that's fine, I'll meet them at my local police station, see you there...\"

click.... :-)

2 replies

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October 20, 2008 1:49 PM

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@TPK: C'mon over! I'll be the one with the holster.

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October 20, 2008 12:46 PM

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@TPK:Haha

\"K. Don't call me until I'm behind bars, bye.\"

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Brontide

October 20, 2008 12:55 AM

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My rule of thumb is..

unsolicited + high pressure = scam

Knowing the fair debt collection rules is a good way to defend against this crap as well since no legitimate firm would break those rules.

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Lucky225

October 20, 2008 1:59 AM

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the last part of the article is what ticks me off, the whole you need to pay online or you get screwed. I don't mind paying online if it's convenient, but a lot of times they only accept check online, not credit card, then you have to choose if releasing your checking account info online is worth the risk of convenience. Credit Card is much safer as it doesn't mess with your finances and you can dispute it easily. Then theres your utility companies. I go to pay cash and they charge me a late fee b/c their payment processor didn't post to my account until 3 days later. Total B.S. I'm paying you cash PLUS a fee, a day before the bill is due, and I still get a late fee, their response, you should have paid online.

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October 20, 2008 2:39 AM

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BEN POPKEN: Now, I have to commend you LAURIE LUCAS because you did a very good job from fending this guy off, and you sound like a real solid citizen and pretty
[/quote]

Ben, do we really need to bring her physical appearance into this? ;) She may be pretty but is that related to the scam at all?

1 replies

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October 20, 2008 2:58 AM

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@DigitalMariner: I wasn't the only one who thought that, huh?

Ya beat me to it by just a couple of minutes. Thats what I get for reading all of the responses before posting.

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October 20, 2008 2:56 AM

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When 11am comes and they don't show up, it'll be really funny.

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FuryOfFirestorm

October 20, 2008 3:00 AM

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Ben: \"...you sound like a real solid citizen and pretty-\"
If you read the transcript carefully, he was cut off by Laurie, so he could have been saying \"pretty smart\" or \"pretty clever\".

Plus, the interview was OVER THE PHONE (Ben: \"Where are you CALLING from?\"), so it's \"pretty\" likely that Ben Popken has no idea what she looks like.

1 replies

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October 20, 2008 3:57 AM

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@FuryOfFirestorm: I agree that was likely the case, but it was still funny.

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Acolyte

October 20, 2008 4:00 AM

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Truly sad the scams that are going around. My question is what role does the origin of the accent have to do with the story? Moreso how did the writer ascertain that the caller was Indian and not Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi or from any other country in the vicinity?
I'm not playing the race card or anything but I do think it wasn't a very poignant detail given the large number of companies in America that actually use off shore based call centers to handle their business.

1 replies

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Parting

October 20, 2008 4:39 AM

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@Acolyte: Just another proof, that the scam is based overseas. (It was in the news.) To avoid easy prosecution.

Maybe not in India, but very good chances that it's going on overseas. Since ''basement scammers'' from USA would have been traced and arrested by local police.

Since it's overseas, different international policing agencies will have to be involved. So everything is much more longer.

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Corporate-Shill

October 20, 2008 4:51 AM

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Mail it.

Everybody needs to repeat that phrase until it becomes second nature for them to say the phrase.

Never \"confirm\" or \"correct\" any information via the telephone.

Just say \"Mail me the information\" at the address you believe to be correct.

1 replies

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October 20, 2008 3:34 PM

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@Corporate-Shill: Ha, and I've gotten some obviously fake things mailed to me saying I owe money. Nope, sorry. I love how they say \"please pay this amount\" and it's like $40,000. Like sure, let me just get out my checkbook.

Also, I had some slimy alleged debt collectors calling me, and I tracked down their phone number to somewhere in Ohio. I ended up filing a police report against the company and \"Gerald\" for harassment. The police said they could call the company and try to tell em to stop, but that was it. Still, it made me feel a little better.

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October 20, 2008 5:12 AM

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NEVER give anyone your driver's license number, or let them see it. That and your name and address are all some thief needs to have to make a fake driver's license in your name.

Laurie needs to freeze her credit bureau accounts. Google: security freeze and the name of your state.

NEVER give out any information to anyone on the phone.

Also, have the phone company put a trap on your line and when you get a call from this person, make a police report and have their fraud investigators pursue the person. You may have to tell the phone company you're getting harassing calls. Don't let on that it's from a debt collector, even if it's a fraudster, or they may not let you put the trap and trace on. It cost $5 to do here in California, and yes, I caught the pussyman who was calling me in the middle of the night. Boy, was he surprised when he heard from the LAPD detective.

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MrEvil

October 20, 2008 9:20 AM

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I think my dad got a call from these same SOBs. Except they threatened that some armed individuals were going to come out to get him. My dad being the ever present old bastard simply told them to come right on over, that he had his gun loaded and ready to go.

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October 20, 2008 9:30 AM

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I think if I got one of these calls, the first thing I would do is ask for contact information so that I could have my lawyer contact them to work out the details.

I have a feeling that would end the call pretty quickly.

I've used that in the past when I was under the impression I was being scammed or was getting pressure in a business relationship to make changes that I didn't think would be of any benefit to my side, and it's surprising how quickly the tone of the discussion changed.

No, I don't have a lawyer, but the threat of letting one loose has always been effective.

JIm

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October 20, 2008 12:27 PM

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A point that needs to be addressed (IMHO)

When someone calls you and threatens to sue you in some faraway state,you don't have anything to worry about. Relax , it's just a (very) hollow threat. Burn this on your brain : THEY HAVE TO SUE YOU IN YOUR HOME COUNTY. WHERE YOU LIVE,NOT WHERE THEIR OFFICE IS LOCATED ! Now, the assholes may file a lawsuit in their (friendly) court next door,but all you have to do (after being legally served) is send a letter to the court requesting that the suit be dismissed because of inconvenient venue. Then THEY have to hire a local attorney in your town to handle the suit. Expensive,with an uncertain outcome. This means that the amount has to be substantial and they must have a reasonable likelihood of winning to pursue it. Otherwise,they hand it off to a bill collector and call it a day.

Points : They have to sue you where you live
You have to be legally served

So when these assclowns or others like them start hollering that they are going to sue,keep your wits about you and don't panic.

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jkinatl2

October 20, 2008 1:08 PM

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My 81 year old Mom was called and given almost the exact same scam. Shook her up so badly that it took me an hour on the phone to calm her down. She's been targeted for several phone scams in the last couple of months, and if these losers were within strangling reach, I would cheerfully throttle them.

Should be a special place in hell for people who frighten old widows.

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October 20, 2008 1:42 PM

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[www.budhibbs.com]

[www.budhibbs.com]

Our research leads us to believe it one of these two outfits using an India call center...

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Mp3dog

October 20, 2008 1:58 PM

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Talk about long in the tooth... A full transcript of the entire conversation was not necessary. Next time, how about you just write a story pointing out the facts and interesting points. You know, like a WRITER would do.

1 replies

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JulesNoctambule

October 20, 2008 3:34 PM

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@Mp3dog: I've never understood people who complain about having to read in a text-based medium.

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October 20, 2008 1:59 PM

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I'm curious as to how they expect to get payment from the OP. Probably they would ask the victim for banking information instead of providing their own banking info. But just in case, it would be good to pry and say \"I only have a savings account, can you please give me your banking information?\" and present that to the police.

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Ein2015

October 20, 2008 2:27 PM

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Reminder: A healthy dose of skepticism in ALL situations is good.

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October 20, 2008 2:47 PM

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This is why I forwarded all my calls to voicemail; if it is important they will leave a msg.

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October 20, 2008 2:53 PM

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Why do the posts shrink when I go to page 2 and then I can't see them?

If I click on one, it disappears. :\\

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motojen

October 20, 2008 6:42 PM

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@HogwartsAlum: I thought it was just me. They seem to expand okay early on but as the day goes by they disappear more and more until finally they just dont show up at all!

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October 20, 2008 3:46 PM

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I had a guy call me once and said I won a new Ford F150 and all he needed was my information(including my Social Security number) and it would be mine!

So I told him my last name was Sanchez los articulos de quarro and I was somewhat illegal. Also I only had 3 digits of my SS#. So I tried to bargan with him if he could send a few tires and a hood for the 3 numbers and go from there. Fun call.

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October 20, 2008 3:53 PM

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Good work, Laurie! I'm sendig the URL for this article to my friends and family.
We routinely ignore phone calls that come up \"Unknown Caller\" or for companies that we do not do business with. I wonder how many were trolling for me?

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mike

October 20, 2008 4:06 PM

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Has anyone ever pulled a

+ Watch video

\">Tom Mabe?

I'd love to do the \"Sir, you just called into a murder scene.\"

1 replies

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October 20, 2008 4:52 PM

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@mike: Not the murder scene deal but I have been politely on the phone with these type of nimrods (and phone solicitors) and asked for them to hold a minute while I yelled (at no one) at the top of my voice, like an insane person about the \"cat getting into the sink again\". Usually track through this about two or three times and then lay the bombshell by politely asking again for them to hold and yelling that \"that m-fing cat is dead after I get off the phone since I am going to take that flea infested POS outside and chop its head off and put the body through the wood chipper.\" This had gotten me off of various phone lists prior to the Do Not Call lists. I'd always politely ask for them to call back later since I had \"a little situation to deal with right now.\" Never got call backs for some reason...

BTW: I do not own nor have ever owned a cat.

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October 20, 2008 5:21 PM

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I know others have said this, but I just want to add kudos to Ms. Lucas for keeping cool and rational in this situation and sharing the story, and great interviewing by Ben. This is probably one of the most positive, useful things I've seen here in awhile. The compassion shown for those who do get caught by this horrible nonsense is a nice break from \"blame the consumer\".

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theczardictates

October 20, 2008 5:47 PM

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\"11am is bad for me. How about 1pm? I could do 1pm\"

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pantsonfire

October 20, 2008 7:44 PM

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I think this presents an opportunity to play two scammers off of one another. For example you could tell the fake debt collector that you will send them a check. Then get the fake Nigerian prince to issue a check using the info you got from scammer A. I'm not sure what the repercussions would be for either scammer but I would love to find out.

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October 20, 2008 9:21 PM

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Does this guy have a brother named Cory or a teacher named Mr. Feeny?

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CaptainConsumer

October 20, 2008 9:50 PM

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Because most police agencies will tell you where and when they plan to arrest you. Why I used to see it all the time on the old show FBI with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. He'd tell a con man or other bad guy \"Look see, I'm gonna be arresting you tomorrow at 11 AM. I suggest you make yourself available at your home. By the way is your Social Security number 999-00-4545?\"

Yep, made the cuff like that every week he did.

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October 21, 2008 12:00 AM

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I just got one of these calls! I just kept repeating \"REALLY?!\" through out the whole thing. When I finally said, \"Well, I guess I'll just take my chances\" he finally told me that if I wasn't going to be serious about my \"debt on my Walmart credit card\" that he certainly couldn't help me and he hung up on me. The caller ID had no number and he was definitely NOT from Chicago (or anywhere else on this continent).

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j0npeterson

October 22, 2008 3:28 AM

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It would be awesome to work these guys against the Nigerian check scammers...

Have them send these Legal Affidavit scammers a fake check and let them hang on the hook for the money.

1 replies

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October 22, 2008 6:30 AM

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@j0npeterson: Tell them to send real cash and never come back.

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